Electrolytic cell



Nov. 27, 1934. m w. G. MICHEL.

` ELECTROLYTIC CELL Filed July 25, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l Invenlo jdae?,

y A forne'y Nov. 27, 1934. W Q MICHEL n 1,982,224

ELECTROLYTIC CELL Filed July 25, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ja, 5 2 f3/ji' conductor.

Patented Nov. 27, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 16 Claims.

The object of this invention is to provide an electrolytic cell in which potassium chloride and sodium chloride, or similar salts, can be separated into their elements or changed into other forms by the use of electric currents. In such case the products from the reaction are chlorine and hydrogen gases and sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide, etcetera.

Another object of the invention is to produce a large output of these elements efficiently with a comparatively small consumption'of electric` current, which cell can be easily and cheaply made.`

These and other objects of the invention will be illustrated in the drawings, described in the specification, and pointed out in the claims at the end thereof.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through the cell.

Figure 2 is a horizontal section through the cell. Figure 3 is an enlarged detail View of the lower part of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detail view or the partition that holds the salt in place.

Figure 5 is a horizontal section through the cell, showing a modification of my cell in which the electrode, diaphragm and cathode are arranged in corrugated form.

Figure v6 is a vertical section through the cell, showing a modied form of construction and assembly.

Figure 7 is a horizontal section through Figure 6, on the line War-Jim, the scale being somewhat reduced.

In the drawings like reference numerals indicate like Darts.

In the drawings reference numeral 1 indicates the jar or container, which is made of concrete or any other suitable material that will resist the action of the chemicals and will be anon- This jar has an opening 2 in the bottom thereof which has a shoulder 3 therein. In this opening is placed the electrode 4 which is tubular and is made of graphite or carbon, which material'is held together by a binder such as is described in my Patent 1,378,599 issued May 17, 1921. This electrode is open at the bottom and top.

This electrode is sealed into the opening in the bottom of the jar rst with a packing of oakum or asbestos 5, and then with a copper band 6.

Surrounding this copper band 6 is formed a lead ring 7. For the purpose of getting the lead the lead is poured and then is calked into place to make a tight joint with the copper band and f between the copper band and electrode on one side and the bottom of the jar on the other side. The positive connection of the electric circuit is made with the copper band. This connection leads off under the jar. This connection can come out under the jar, or it can be molded into the concrete and come out through the side of the jar.

Inside of the electrode I place the diaphragm 9, which is tubular in form, and is made of a nonconducting material such as asbestos, or ash, or lire clay, which is suitably iilled with carbon, which is held together with a-binder such as is described in my Patent 1,378,599 referred to above. This diaphragm 9 is held in place with the ring of asbestos packing 9A, which insulates -it from the electrode 4 and yet positively connects it thereto, and spaces it therefrom. From the bottom of this tubular diaphragm leads the overow pipe 10, through which the liquid hydroxide can flow out as it is formed. The lower end of this overflow pipe 10 is sealed into the bottom of the diaphragm with a ring of cement 9B, on top of which is placed a ring of asbestos packing. The whole opening in the bottom of the jar is then covered over with a layer of afsphalt 11, which further-helps to seal and insulate the vvarious parts.

These rings and layers of material are put in place by inverting the assembly and placing some temporary form or support in place between the electrode 4 and the diaphragm 9, and inside of the diaphragm 9. The rings of asbestos packing I9A and 9C are then put in place, and the ring of concrete 9Bv is then put in place, a layer of soft putty is then put around the overflow pipe 10 extending to the rim of the diaphragm, after which the filler 11 of asphalt is put in place, which effectually closes and seals the bottom, with the overflow pipe 10 in place. Thereafter4 th-e jar or container may be turned right side up and is ready for use.

Inside of the jar I place a tubular partition 12, which is preferably made of tile. This partition rests loosely on the bottom of the jar. It has a number of small holes extending through it near the bottom. These holes are about 1A, in diameter. Outside of this partition I place the dry salt 13. Water is then poured on this dry salt and it runs down through the salt and goes through the openings in the bottom of the partition l2 as brine, andi-ills the annular space between the partition 12 and the electrode 4.

Near the bottom of the electrode is formed some small holes so that the brine can ilow through the holes and ll the space between the electrode 4 and the diaphragm 9. Six holes .about an eighth of an inch in diameter each are sucient. The electrode 4 is not porous and has holes therein, but the diaphragm 9 is porous and has no holes therein, and in consequence the brine seeps through the diaphragm and fills it outside of the electrode to the level indicated by the siphon 22, or thereabouts.

As shown in Figure 1, I provide an overflow for the brine of the receptacle, which consists of a glass tube 20, which is .bent down to a trap 21, and then extends up and over into a siphon 22. The upper portion of this overflow, namely, the siphon 22 may be made with a rubber tube, which can be bent in any desired position so as to x or vary the level at will. 'I'his overiow iixes the level of the brine in the cell. If there is an excess of salt in the cell, the salt will flow into the glass tube and lshow the excess.

After the salt and water and brine are in place, the current is then turned on, and the current goes in through the positive connection at the bottom of the cell into the electrode, and through the electrolite to the diaphragm and goes out .at the top through the negative connection made with the diaphragm. 4

To increase the conductivity of the diaphragm, I line the inside of the diaphragm with a coarse wire screen or with perforated steel 15, and the negative connection at the top is connected t this metallic lining.

When the current is turned on, the positive current passes in at the bottom ofthe electrode and the negative current comes out at the top of the diaphragm. This causes the chlorine gas to come off on theoutside ofthe electrode 4, or between the electrode and the diaphragm 9,v and causes sodium hydroxide to be formed inside of the diaphragm. It also causes hydrogen gas to come off inside of the diaphragm.

If potassium chloride is used instead of ysodium chloride, chlorine and hydrogen gases will come oi in the same way as above described, and potassium hydroxide will be formed inside of the diaphragm.

If the outlet 10 were not provided, the level of the hydroxide in the diaphragm would keep mounting up until it overiiowed, and to prevent the overflow, the outlet 10 is provided vconnected to the bottom of the diaphragm.

On top of the cell I provide ay cover 25, in which is provided a tube 26 through which the vsalt is fed into the cell, and a tube 27 through which the water is fed into the cell. An outlet tube 28 is provided for the escape of the chlorine gas. The bottom of the tubes 26 and 27 are below the siphon 22, which prevents gas from escaping from the cell except through the outlet 28.

In Figure 5 I have shown a modied form of the cell, in which 40 indicates arectangular concrete box, 41 representsa tile partition, 42 represents the electrode which is in corrugated form, 43 represents the diaphragm, and 44 represents the metallic lining of the diaphragm. Both the diaphragm and its metallic lining are also corthe cell in which 50 represents the ce1i, the sides;

and bottom of .which are made of concrete or some other acid-resisting material that is an electric nonconductor. 51 represents the partition that separates the salt from the brine. 52 represents the electrode which has the openings 53 in the sides thereof near the bottom and is provided with a concrete bottom 54. Between the bottom of the electrode and the bottom of the cell a layer 55 of soft putty is provided which is made preferably of china clay and oil. A copper band 56 is provided around the bottom of the elec# trode, from which leads a wire conductor 57.

Inside of the electrode, I provide a diaphragm 58 which is made of nonconducting material such as asbestos, or ash, or fire-clay, etc. as' above described. This diaphragm is closed with a concrete bottom 59. Inside of the diaphragm is placed the coarse wirescreen or perforated steel lining 60 similar to the lining 15 shown in Figures l and 3. The bottom of the diaphragm 58 is separated from the bottom of the electrode 52 by a layer of soft putty 61, as above described. A pipe 62 leads up through the bottom of the cell, the bottom of the electrode and the bottom of the diaphragm, through which the liquid hydroxide is drained off from the inside of the diaphragm, it being understood that the space between the electrode 52 and the diaphragm 58 is filled with brine and that chlorine gas'comes oif from outside of the diaphragm and hydrogen gas and hydroxide is 105 formed inside of the diaphragm.

As appears in cross section in Figure 7, the electrode can be made of six slabs or blocks of graphitesuitably joined together in hexagonal form, or it can be made all in one piece. The diaphragm can also be'formed inthe shape of a hexagon to correspond.

The bottom may be omitted from the electrode and from the diaphragm, and each of them'can be set into the same layer of putty, but it is more convenient to have bottoms in ,each of these members with a hole therein, for the outlet pipe then spaces these units from each other and from the Jar.

I claim: v

1. In an electrolytic cell', the combination of a jar having an opening in the bottom thereof, a tubular electrode sealed in said opening, a copper and a lead ring by which said tubular electrode is sealed in said opening, a tubular diaphragm ing inside of the diaphragm, a pipe inserted in 13C- the bottom of the diaphragm, packing between 'the pipe and the bottom of the diaphragm, saidl pipe passing out -under the cell and extending up along the outside of the cell and having the up- 1 per end thereof turned down.

2. In an electrolytic cell, the combination of a jar having an opening in the bottom thereof, a tubular electrode in said opening, a copper ring and a lead ring around the end of said electrode and concentric therewith and sealing it in. said opening, a tubular diaphragm inside ofv the electrode and concentric therewith, packing material between the end of the electrode and the end of the diaphragm sealing the opening between them, a tubular metallic lining inside of the dia- 7 phragni.

3. In an electrolytlc cell, the combination of a jar having -an opening in the bottom thereof, ar tubular electrode in said opening, a copper ring and a lead ring around the end of said electrode 1 and concentric therewith and sealing it in said opening, a tubular diaphragm inside of the electrode and concentric therewith, lpacking material between the end of the electrode and the end of the diaphragm sealing the opening between them.

4. In an electrolytic cell, the combination of a jar having an opening in the bottom thereof, a

tubular electrode in said opening, a copper ring and a lead ring around the end of said electrode and concentric therewith and sealing it in said opening, a tubular diaphragm inside of the electrode and concentric therewith, packing material between the end of the electrode and the end of the diaphragm sealing the opening between them, a tubular metallic lining inside of the diaphragm, a partition outside of the electrode having a number of holes therethrough near the bottom thereof, said partition being adapted to hold salt outside of it and between it and the jar and being adapted to permit brine to flow from the salt through the bottom of the partition inwardly to the electrode.

5. In an electrolytic cell, the combination of a jar having an opening in the bottom thereof, a tubular electrode in said jar, a copper ring and a lead ring around the end of said electrode and concentric therewith and sealing it in said opening, a, tubular diaphragm A inside of V`the electrode vand concentric therewith, .packing material between the end of the electrode and the end of the diaphragm sealing the opening between them, a tubular metallic lining inside of the diaphragm, a partition outside of the electrode having a number of holes therethrough near the bottom thereof, said .partition being adapted to hold salt outside ofy it and between it and the jar and being adapted to permit brine to iiow from the salt through the bottom of the' partition inwardly to the electrode, an overflow pipe having' an inverted siphon and 'a Siphon therein between the discharge opening and the cell.`

'6. In an electrolytic cell, the combination of a. jar having an opening in the bottom thereof, a tubular electrode sealed in said opening, a copper ring and a lead ring around the end of said electrode and concentric therewith and sealing it in said'opening, a tubular diaphragm inside `of the electrode and concentric therewith, packing material between the end of the electrode and the end of the diaphragm sealing the opening between them, a tubular metalliclining inside of the diaphragm, a partition'outside of the electrode having a number of holes therethrough' near the bottom thereof, said partition being adapted to hold salt outside of it and between it and the jar and being adapted to permit. brine to flow from the salt through the bottom of the partition, inwardly to the-electrode, a cover 'for said cell having an inlet therein for salt and another inletfor water, and anoutlet forA theY gas. formed thereby.

7. In an electrolytic cell, the combination o f a jar; said jar having a circular hole in the bottom thereof with an inwardly turned flange surrounding said hole, a tubular electrode and a tubular diaphragm having the lower ends thereof sealed into said hole, said electrode and diaphragm being concentric with each other and with theY jar,

and being suitably spaced apart from each other, an outlet from the lower end of the diaphragm sealed into the diaphragm and into the lower end ing said hole, the bottom of the jar being cut away below said flange to form a circular shoulder having a larger diameter than the hole with a recess under the flange, a tubular electrode sealed into said hole, a copper ring and a lead ring around 8o the end of said electrode and extending under the flange to the shoulder, a layer of asphalt below said electrode and filling the circular opening inside of said shoulder..

9. In an electrolytic cell, the combination of a jar, said jar having a circular hole in the bottom thereof with an inwardly turned flange surrounding said hole, the bottom of the jar being cut away below said flange to form a circula-r shoulder having a larger diameter than the hole with a recess under the flange, a tubular electrode sealed into said hole, 'a copper ring and a lead ring around the end of said electrode and extending under the flange to the shoulder, a layer of asphalt below said electrode and lling the circular opening inside of said shoulder, an outlet at the center of said layer of asphalt.

l0. Inan electrolytic cell, the combination of a` jar, a tubular electrode placed centrally in said jar, said electrode having a bottom, a tubular diaphragm placed' inside of said electrode and spaced apart-therefrom, a bottom in said diaphragm, an outlet pipe extending through the bottom of the diaphragm and the electrode and the jar.

Il. In an electrolytic cell, the combination o.f a jar, a tubular electrode placed centrally in said jar, said electrode having a bottom, a tubular diaphragm placed inside of vsaid electrode and spaced apart therefrom, a bottom in said diaphragm, an outlet pipe extending through the bottom'of the diaphragm and the electrode and the jar, electrical connections passing from said electrode through the bottom of the jar.

12. In an electrolytic cell, the combination of a -jar, a tubular electrode placed centrally in said jar, said electrode having a bottom, a tubular diaphragm placed inside of said electrode andspaced apart therefrom, a bottom in said diaphragm, an outlet pipe extending through the bottom of the diaphragm and the electrode and the jar, a metallic lining inside of the diaphragm, electrical -connections passing from the top of said lining out from the top of the jar.

13. In an electrolytic ceu, the combination of a jar, a tubular electrode, a tubular diaphragm electrodev inside of said first named electrode and spaced apart therefrom, said diaphragm electrode being made of fnonconducting material such as asbestos, ash, or re-'clay, which is suitably lled 13.*? with carbon and is held togletlrerwith a binder.

14. In. an electrolytic cell, the combination of a jar having a bottom therein integral therewith, a tubular electrode having a bottom-therein integral therewith, a tubulardiaphragm having a bottom therein integral therewith, each'of said bottoms having a hole therein. a pipe extendingthrough said holes and spacing the electrode apart from the jar and the diaphragm.

l5. In an electrolytic cell, the combination ofa jar, electrolyte therein, a tubular electrode im-v mersed wholly within the electrolyte placed substantially axial in said jar, electrical connections passing from said electrode through the bottom of said jar, holes through said electrode near the bottom thereof through which the brine can pass.

16. An electrode for an electrolytic cellformed of blocks of graphite suitably shaped and fastened together in the form of a polygonal tube.

WILLIAM G. MICHEL. 

